[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 7 (Thursday, January 17, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E47-E48]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING RETIRING TOWN OF CHEEKTOWAGA COUNCILMAN THOMAS M. JOHNSON, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 17, 2008

  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
illustrious public career of one of western New York's most dedicated 
and hard working public servants--the Dean of the Cheektowaga Town 
Board, its longest serving member, Councilman Thomas M. Johnson, Jr.
  Many years ago, the Buffalo News once referred to another public 
official with a reputation for energetic representation of his 
constituents as ``indefatigable.'' Untiring. Unrelenting. Unfaltering. 
These and so many other adjectives only begin to describe the manner in 
which Tom Johnson served his constituents, and the town he loves so 
dearly.
  Since my very first days in service as a Member of the House, Tom has 
been an advocate for countless projects within Cheektowaga, and for the 
betterment of the people who live there. I am proud to serve in public 
office alongside people of the caliber of Tom Johnson, and I am prouder 
still to call Tom my friend.
  I have taken the liberty, Madam Speaker, of including within this 
extension excerpts from an article recently published in the Buffalo 
News that chronicles Tom's career and his plans to ``retire''--with 
that word intentionally left in quotation marks. Tom will never truly 
retire from serving the town he so dearly loves, and all of us in 
elective office owe a great debt of gratitude to Tom for his service 
and his dedication to the people in his community. Tom, on behalf of 
the entirety of the House of Representatives, let me wish you, Barbara 
and your entire family the very best of luck and Godspeed.

         Cheektowaga Icon Johnson Learning The Word ``Retire''

                          (By Thomas J. Dolan)

       Cheektowaga's longest-serving Town Board member, Thomas M. 
     Johnson Jr., is stepping down after three decades in office, 
     but you wouldn't know it to see him.
       With just days to go before his term ends, Johnson, 66, is 
     as restless as ever. He's showing up for work sessions at 
     Town Hall, popping in at community meetings and appearing at 
     all manner of ceremonies and events, just as he has done 
     through much of his career. ``He gets involved in practically 
     everything. He goes to all the meetings. He gets involved 
     with various groups,'' said Thomas J. Adamczak, supervisor of 
     town inspectors.
       Whether it's the Cheektowaga Community Symphony Orchestra, 
     a ceremony honoring veterans, a planning session to restock 
     walleye in Cayuga Creek or a discussion of storm-drainage 
     problems, Johnson has been a force in town affairs for 
     decades. He has left his stamp on a wide variety of projects, 
     from the Walden Galleria shopping mall to the town's new 
     bike path, now under construction.
       Johnson's 30 years on the board easily qualify him as 
     Cheektowaga's longest-serving lawmaker, said Supervisor-elect 
     Mary F. Holtz, the town historian.
       ``Nobody else even comes close,'' Holtz said after checking 
     her records.
       And few town officials have made a greater impact than 
     Johnson, observers say.
       ``Tom is a true institution in Cheektowaga,'' said Eric L. 
     Recoon, vice president of development for Benderson 
     Development Co.
       Recoon, who has frequently negotiated with Johnson 
     regarding Benderson projects, gave this assessment: ``Tom 
     probably has, in his own way, done more for the town than 
     almost anybody. He's so passionate about his town, and he was 
     really tireless in his efforts to do what he feels would 
     benefit the Town of Cheektowaga.''
       And while many politicians show up at public meetings to 
     earn some ``face time,''

[[Page E48]]

     Johnson comes armed with questions, talking points and often 
     documents to back them up. It's not long before he's deep in 
     the debate--or taking over the meeting, as some critics would 
     describe it.
       Recoon, who has dealt with Johnson for more than a decade, 
     said: ``He's incredibly frank. He's very straightforward, and 
     he is candid--sometimes not in a fashion that you want him to 
     be. But you know what? You always know where you stand with 
     him.''
       Johnson, an engineer and retired manager for Goodyear-
     Dunlop Tire Corp., recalls buying a house on Meadowlawn Road 
     in the early 1970s and then learning that--instead of being 
     used for housing, as real estate agents had assured him--the 
     large lot behind his home would be developed as a shopping 
     mall.
       As a result, Johnson helped form the Depew-Cheektowaga Home 
     Association, which grew to more than 700 members. And, 
     through most of his political career, he has kept close ties 
     with Cheektowaga's homeowners' and taxpayers' associations.
       His list of honors and awards--many of them from community 
     groups--fill more than a page. But after more than 32 years 
     on the political stage, Johnson says he is retiring to spend 
     more time with his family, especially his grandchildren, 
     Natalie, 7, and Eric, 5. It's difficult to imagine him no 
     longer being active in town affairs, especially since he 
     believes strongly in having citizens take part in government.
       ``What we need more than anything else is participatory 
     government,'' he said. ``For my mind, government that is 
     closest to the people is best.''